Even William Shakespeare, master of words, did not explicitly say that money breaks families, but he came close. In Timon of Athens, he wrote:
"Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious gold? Thus much of this will make black white, foul fair, wrong right... Will knit and break religions..."
The late James Garuga appeared to have left behind vast wealth--cash and fixed assets reportedly worth more than one trillion shillings. Yet, inexplicably, this highly informed man seems not to have left a Will.
This may explain why, in a sworn affidavit, his son now accuses his mother of "fraudulently and grossly under-declaring the scale of the estate." One can only imagine the widow's pain--just weeks after losing her husband--now compounded by a very public battle over his legacy.
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Out of respect for the family, I hesitate to rub salt into fresh wounds. I was privileged to know James Garuga, his wife Peace Kesime, and their children. Their Bugolobi homes once hosted myself and Counsel Dan Wandera Ogalo as we drafted the FDC policy document in 2005. I also frequented another residence that doubled as Dr Kizza Besigye's headquarters, where we received diplomats, dignitaries, and journalists. It was there, too, that we encountered trouble--a man who claimed the government had bribed judges to convict Dr Besigye. That incident saw colleagues like Jack Sabiti sued for "spreading malicious rumours prejudicial to state security."
But beyond the politics lies a priceless lesson: Garuga's apparent failure to make a Will instructs us all to do so.
Three reasons stand out:
- First, it is dangerous self-delusion to believe, as many Ugandans do, that writing a Will invites death. The opposite is true--it saves families unbearable agony.
- Second, the case of Brigadier Eriya Kategaya proves the point. The Bush War hero, lawyer, and former First Deputy Prime Minister is said to have died intestate. His widow and sister spent years locked in painful disputes over land, livestock, and houses.
- Finally, Shakespeare himself reminded us: "We owe God a death: he that dies this year is quit for the next" (King Henry IV). This year it was James Garuga. Next year it could be you--or me.
Those in polygamous marriages or with children outside marriage should pay special attention. That "family head" introducing your hidden children at the funeral, and that quiet mourner in dark glasses taking notes, could well be a lawyer preparing to kick up legal dust soon after the burial.
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Meanwhile, Peace and Karl Garuga, for the sake of your late husband and father, please settle this matter amicably and allow our friend to rest in peace. Otherwise, he may be needlessly turning in his one-month-old grave.
